Magic XXL

Sex sells.

It’s an indisputable fact, caused by our own yearnings for intimacy that manifest in popular culture (look no further than Fifty Shades of Grey, the massively successful erotic book-turned-movie, for example).

The original Magic Mike is another example of the profitability of sex and attraction — it raked in $39.1 million in its opening weekend, thanks in large part to the scantily clad, chiseled men who undoubtedly left many viewers feeling a bit hot and bothered.

Yet there was a disparity between how men and women viewed the movie. Many women were excited to watch Channing Tatum’s sweaty body gyrating on the big screen, but an equal number of men seemed wary of seeing the film because they feared it would be a “chick flick” (or they weren’t fans of Tatum and company flaunting their butts in tight G-strings.)

Three years later, Magic Mike XXL seeks to cash in on the profitability of our intimate desires once again while finding a way to pique the interest of all moviegoers — women and men of all persuasions.

Judging by the contents of the first film, it would be easy to peg the sequel as a female-oriented film that relies on sex-fueled escapades and tons of attractive men with abs apparently sculpted by the gods.

Which, let’s be honest, it is to a huge degree.

Magic Mike XXL follows Mike Lane, a once-famous “male entertainer” played by Tatum, as he reunites with the Kings of Tampa — sans Matthew McConaughey’s character Dallas from the first movie. After three years apart, the Kings embark on a road trip to a stripper convention in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for one last all-or-nothing performance.

Whether at a beach, an ex-lover’s mansion-turned-club or at a gas station mini-mart, the guys find a way to be shirtless often throughout the movie, and when their rippling abs are exposed, you can count on seductive, sensual dance moves.

The number of times Mike pelvic thrusted girls while dancing exceeded a dozen. Romantic singing from Donald Glover, known by his musical persona Childish Gambino, is sure to melt the hearts of many viewers. And, as you can probably guess by now, the male strippers all have bodies that are borderline unattainable.

But the film is more than just an opportunity to ogle the male physique. In many ways, it often feels like a part of The Hangover franchise with it’s antic-filled, boys-only road trip, sexual humor and the constant use of drugs and alcohol.

There’s the moment where all the guys take the drug molly and Mike convinces “Big Dick” Richie, one of the Kings played by Joe Manganiello, to give a sexy striptease to a stone-faced mini-mart employee. The scene is much more about the hilarious methods Richie employs to impress the employee — ripping open a bag of Cheetos and crawling on the ground (to the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” no less) — than it is about his rock-hard body.

There’s also the fact that the guys often compare “Big Dick” Richie’s overgrown plight to Prince Charming’s quest to find a foot to fit in the glass slipper. It’s a purposeful attempt to interject some male-oriented humor into the film.

Inciting laughter from audience members of all types, Magic Mike XXL is still first and foremost about sex and attraction, but guys would be remiss to miss the movie’s rowdy comedy.

So, if you’re into ripped men partaking in some risque dancing, come out and enjoy the view. And if you’re not, laughter is a great workout for abs — possibly putting you one step closer to the near-perfect bodies you see on the screen.

[ READ MORE: Q&A with ‘Magic Mike XXL”s Stephen “tWitch” Boss ]